I’m doing research, and my brain isn’t functioning properly enough to translate academic legalese/federalese right now. Can any of you explain really simply how unions are formed, how they operate, and why they’re important? I have a vague understanding that they protect workers, but how?
In: Economics
The key function is **collective bargaining**.
One for all, and all for one.
The workers join together so that they can function as a unit and improve their working conditions/pay.
If one guy asks for a raise or safety improvements, he’ll just get fired. If everyone at the mine comes in together and asks for the exact same thing, they can’t fire them all and they have to sit down and negotiate with them.
Their power comes from Collectively withholding labor if they aren’t taken seriously. If management doesn’t want to sit down and negotiate, or they don’t negotiate in good faith, workers just walks out (strike).
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